Enjoy the planetary pile-up in Leo as we enter August this week. Five planets - Mars, Mercury, Sun, Venus and Jupiter - all traverse the sign at some point. Get ready to strut and fret your hour upon the stage. Do you have a speaking part or are just stage filler? Your choice.

ARIES (MARCH 21 - APRIL 20)Life is a cabaret now, Leo. Not only are you on everyone’s “A” list of must attendees for the hot parties, you are also a bit of a party planner yourself. There appears to be no limit to the amount of fun and artistic inspiration you can have now. Of course you can always over-indulge in too much food, drink or romance. Ah, but what a way to go!

TAURUS (APRIL 21 - MAY 21)Now is the time to focus on your home life and on family matters. Taureans may have tried to avoid sticky issues with certain relatives but now, not only can you not avoid it, it also happens to be a great time to solve problems and smooth over any rough edges. Even a small effort has dramatic results. So do what you must do, even if you are a bit of an actor. You will headline.

GEMINI (MAY 22 - JUNE 21)Geminis seem to know just what to say to get what and who they want. Good thing too. You have many things on your mind that need to be expressed and many personal ambitions that have been on hold for too long a time. Don’t let grass grow under your feet now. Get your message out and about. You won’t even have to shout to cause a rout.

CANCER (JUNE 22 - JULY 23)Money figures prominently in your thoughts now and why not? Cancers are very generous and have been dipping into their wallets a bit too often lately. It is time to focus on yourself and your future needs. Do your fiscal homework, ask the right advisors for guidance and start planning for your eventual cushy retirement... even if it only ends up as a small pillow.

LEO (JULY 24 - AUGUST 23)There will be no stopping you. You are boundless energy and a shooting star, Leo. The timing is right for success. So don’t sit on the sidelines and wait for the world to call you. You need to get out of any rut you are in, step out of your front door, greet the public and make your dreams come true. If not now then when? If not you, then who?

VIRGO (AUGUST 24 - SEPTEMBER 23)There are many secrets swirling around you Virgo. But that doesn’t mean that you are totally in the dark and prey to whoever has a personal gripe against you. In fact, your intuition is sharp and precise. You can discern the evil motives of anyone who is primed to act and stop them in their tracks. You are a superhero. Just lose the orange cape and spandex shorts.

LIBRA (SEPTEMBER 24 - OCTOBER 23)Start to swirl around in your social circles, Libra. Friends come pouring in from all corners and your dance card fills up to overflowing. Don’t let it get boring. Try to mix it up and create an intoxicating new platonic cocktail. But be careful of becoming too tipsy with all of this friendly activity. Do you know when too much is too much? Oh who cares!

SCORPIO (OCTOBER 24 - NOVEMBER 22)Plan your next corporate ascent now. Scorpios are given a variety of opportunities to prove themselves. The possible career paths seem endless. But you need to keep your eyes focused on the ultimate prize. Be open and ask for the chance to prove yourself. What will you do when you reach the top? Start peering on the horizon for the next big peak!

SAGITTARIUS (NOVEMBER 23 - DECEMBER 22)If you haven’t already planned a nice summer vacation, do it now when all signs point to exotic and far flung adventure. Sagittarians have a few creative travel ideas up their sleeves. But if time and money are tight, find your excitement in cheaper ways or in more local enclaves. The most important thing is to see life from a different angle.

CAPRICORN (DECEMBER 23 - JANUARY 20)Your love life heats up as the summer progresses so don’t let things cool down between you and a certain special someone. Capricorns are sexy, sensual, alluring and full of peppy energy. You are also able to attract anyone you set your sights on. So polish your glasses and see who is up your alley... among other places. Will you need to pack a map?

AQUARIUS (JANUARY 21 - FEBRUARY 19)Aquarians are starting to take a very close look at their current relationships - whether for business of for pleasure. Are they meeting your expectations? Do they make you feel good about yourself? It may be time to change the personal dynamic or seek new liaisons that better fit with who you are and what you really want. Plug in and create connection. Don’t blow a fuse.

PISCES (FEBRUARY 20 - MARCH 20)Happy times are afoot, Pisces. So get ready to rumble. Let yourself be carried off on a party wave and see where you wash ashore. You might want to steer the festivities yourself. If so, gather an interesting and eclectic crowd together and do something wildly creative or crazily artistic. Nude body painting is so passe ... unless you paint with food.

Lottery ads tell us you only need a dollar and a dream. But it is also helpful to have a list of lucky numbers to help spur the good fortune ... or fortunes. So with that in mind, here are some lucky numbers that can be used in any helpful way. I gazed into a pool of water, Nostradamus-like, and contemplated the cosmos. Then I mixed the tarot cards and allowed the spirits to guide me to the cards that represent the lucky numbers for this week. Nothing is guaranteed but who knows ....?

If every cloud has a silver lining then it’s good to have all those fog and clouds hovering overhead. Your dreams waft you to the highest heights. Pack a pillow for the eventual landing.

ARIES (MARCH 21 - APRIL 20)Your thoughts turn to hopelessly romantic fantasies, Aries but you may need to wise up soon. In the meantime, wear your heart on your sleeve - Your secret admirer may just pocket it. But what will they do with it after that?

TAURUS (APRIL 21 - MAY 21)Taureans get siren calls from close friends who could become possible love interests this week. They can no longer be ignored. So mix and match and see who sparks your interest. Expand your fan club and see how popular you really are.

GEMINI (MAY 22 - JUNE 21)Events conspire to keep you closer to the professional action now. You’ll turn a few corporate heads this week and can impress the corporate powerbrokers. Play hard and you can win big. But be sure that this is really want you want in life. Hmm?

CANCER (JUNE 22 - JULY 23)Travel can be intoxicating but plan your itinerary carefully so you don’t get side tracked or even lost. Cancers might think that adventure will bring romance. It might, but it might also be a temporary thrill. Ah, but what a way to vacation!

LEO (JULY 24 - AUGUST 23)Leos sizzle as they bake. Will you set your sexy sights on an unsuitable love target? Maybe. So, just t protect yourself, hold your heart close while you open up to others. Anything and anyone is possible now. You may just surprise yourself.

VIRGO (AUGUST 24 - SEPTEMBER 23)Virgos now try to contemplate current or potential relationships. But your thoughts can be filled with fuzzy memories and wishful thinking. Are you thinking about the one that got away? Forget it. Concentrate on what you can grab with your hands.

LIBRA (SEPTEMBER 24 - OCTOBER 23)Your next best friend can be working away in the next cubicle so try nosing around the water cooler to see who is who and what is what. But don’t jump into anything too personal or revealing now, Libra. Why? Because I strongly suggest so.

SCORPIO (OCTOBER 24 - NOVEMBER 22)There will be many opportunities for having fun and relaxing now, Scorpio. Let your imagination run wild and see what you can create. But stop at creating dreams that are not in sync with your reality. A little stardust is good but too much is blinding.

SAGITTARIUS (NOVEMBER 23 - DECEMBER 22)If you are thinking of making some changes around the house, write up a proposal and let it sit for a while to see if everything is feasible. Sagittarians can be fairly practical but what will you really do with a velvet swing set in the living room...?

CAPRICORN (DECEMBER 23 - JANUARY 20)The temptation will be for you to say exactly what is on your mind and in your heart. Don’t be tempted, Capricorn. People are not ready to hear the truth, especially as you see it. Think your thoughts but disguise your actions, if you can. Heh. Heh.

AQUARIUS (JANUARY 21 - FEBRUARY 19)You may have your eye on an expensive trinket but hold off on spending any money this week until you have had a chance to consider the purchase. Aquarians are usually practical but now your heart over-rides your wallet. Get ready to spend!

PISCES (FEBRUARY 20 - MARCH 20)Expect to be pushed into the center of attention and to the front of the parade, ready or not! Pisces often enjoy a mellow view from the sidelines but now you need to perform. Get ready and show your best talents to the crowd. Wear undies in case of bluster.

Sometimes giving up a small success give us greater calm and perspective. So goes the thinking in the “mindfulness movement” as it impacts the legal profession.

At the University of Miami School of Law, students are asked to deliberately lose an argument for homework. Scott Rogers, a professor at the University of Miami “says looser vibes have touched a nerve with younger generations turned off by the perceived nastiness of the profession.” “It’s not about losing a fight or giving up at all,” says Scott, who directs the university’s Mindfulness in Law Program. “It’s developing greater insight in the ways we lose touch.”

The Miami program is “one of about two dozen across the country.” In New York, meanwhile, “dozens of law professors, litigators and judges” recently spent “three days meditating … under a blanket of silence and the tutelage of a Buddhist priest.” A Bay area real-estate lawyer, Judi Cohen, founded a mindfulness-coaching company called Warrior One — “homage to the mystical warrior-kings of Tibet” — with clients including Facebook’s legal department, who hope to “communicate better” with each other. One exercise involves having pairs of lawyers try to have conversations without interrupting each other.

Another exercise has lawyers “pick out three random people during the day and silently wish them well.” This was a non-starter for one lawyer, who said: “I didn’t see anyone worthy.” Sometimes it’s a victory just to get the lawyers to turn off their cell phones during training. One lawyer challenged the value of this: “If mindfulness is just about paying attention, couldn’t that make you a good assassin instead of a compassionate person?” he argued. But Cari Rincker, a family and divorce lawyer who participated in a mindfulness retreat, says that being in a room full of lawyers where no one was talking is “quite refreshing.”

ARIES (MARCH 21 - APRIL 20)Fun is the name of the game this week. Lucky Aries find that they are in the epicenter of the party wherever they go. In fact, they really are the party itself. So what are your ultimate plans? Will you dissipate your best ideas on nonsense and frivolous games or will you muster your creativity and create a personal masterpiece? Sigh, let’s just guess....

TAURUS (APRIL 21 - MAY 21)If you are surveying your general surroundings with an eye towards improvement, this is a good time to do so. Taureans need to see what they need to do to make their personal space more comfortable and inviting. And speaking about inviting, how about arranging some home based tete a tetes with family and friends. Show them your stuff ... and then some.

GEMINI (MAY 22 - JUNE 21)Geminis are usually glib and mouthy. Let your best ideas float into the atmosphere and see where they land. It seems that you are filled with the usual array of utopian dreams but they do appear now to have a bit of gravitas, potential and possibility. Speak your mind and fellow followers will listen... and follow. Where will you lead them? We may all be surprised!

CANCER (JUNE 22 - JULY 23)Although you are not the most practical of folks, Cancers can suddenly become the mogul with moxie. Do your fiscal research and ask the right advisors before you make your big move. Then buy and sell with calculated risk and a clear financial strategy. And you can even just save some stray pennies for a rainy day. Oh, do I feel a drop...?

LEO (JULY 24 - AUGUST 23)What is it that makes you so charismatic and such a social magnet now? It is your best time of year to expand your talents. Prepare for future success, Leo. Begin by fielding a few great ideas, expanding your sphere of influence and meeting new influential folks. Press and impress when and where you can. You never know what and who will sprout. Whoo hoo.

VIRGO (AUGUST 24 - SEPTEMBER 23)Explore all that is hidden and secret this week. There are gems hidden in the rubble that serve you well in the future. Conquer through careful examination. It is also a good time to do charitable works and build up your good karma points for future use. Go with your gut. Virgos are especially intuitive now and get to the bottom of things. Ahem.

LIBRA (SEPTEMBER 24 - OCTOBER 23)What is it about friends that has your social schedule in a whirl? I don’t know but expect this week to be one crazy fun thing after another. You enjoy all types of companionship and make a few new pals as the week wears on. Enjoy the camaraderie while you can Libra. Before you know it you will be back to burning the midnight oil at work. Oh goodie.

SCORPIO (OCTOBER 24 - NOVEMBER 22)All your hard work will not be in vain, Scorpio. Now you cash in on the all the accolades and (hopefully) the bonuses in your career. But don’t rest on your reputation, tempting as it might be. This week heralds in a time of increased energy and application. Get further ahead of the corporate game. Stop when you reach the top. Then add a cherry to your whipped cream.

SAGITTARIUS (NOVEMBER 23 - DECEMBER 22)It is a good time to get out there and explore the world. Not only will there be opportunities to travel, you might also find an interesting travel mate to share the load and the expense. Plan a great getaway especially something adventuresome and rugged. If time or money are tight, find rugged adventure closer to home. Anyone we know, Sagittarius?

CAPRICORN (DECEMBER 23 - JANUARY 20)Capricorns are ready for anything and anyone. What is it that makes you so sexy now? Don’t ask why. Just use this fleeting time to make the right love connections. Those who are on the prowl for new romance find that they have more animal magnetism than usual. Will you decide to attract or repel? It is up to you. Just avoid the general static while you stir up the dust.

AQUARIUS (JANUARY 21 - FEBRUARY 19)Relationships take precedence over work this week. It’s about time Aquarius. You find that life is happier with someone to share it with. So make the most of the partnership you have or set out to find your true soulmate. The fates conspire to make you especially sizzly and attractive. Hurry before things shift and you go back to being just another wanabee.

PISCES (FEBRUARY 20 - MARCH 20)Get back to work Pisces. You are much more efficient than usual and are in a high energy, get-things-done mode. Not only can you tackle any onerous job, you do it in a zesty and forceful way. At this rate, you can soon rule the cubicle roost. Don’t be lazy. There will be time to kick back and relax next week. For now, continue to run in the rat race..